


Cruelty of Memory

by Fanatic_weirdo



Series: Lightwood-Bane Family [19]
Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Adoption, Brothers, Family Feels, Flashbacks, Hurt Rafael, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, New Family, Past Child Abuse, Worried Alec Lightwood, Worried Magnus Bane, they're so cute
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-08
Updated: 2018-07-08
Packaged: 2019-06-07 09:59:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,790
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15216689
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fanatic_weirdo/pseuds/Fanatic_weirdo
Summary: A innocent accident sends Rafael into a flashback of his time on the streets. Alec and Magnus need to bring him out of it before he hurts himself more.





	Cruelty of Memory

**Author's Note:**

> I've gotten an influx of comments on old stories and wanted to put something new out for you guys! Thanks for the love!
> 
> Also this is unbetaed so... sorry for any mistakes

Rafael had finally started speaking, finally voicing his needs and fears more regularly. He wasn’t the bubbly, energetic personality Max was, he had more of a quiet, steady spirit that was the perfect yin to Max’s yang. Alec and Magnus were sure Rafael hadn’t figured out that he wouldn’t be punished for every small thing he did. They knew he was terrified of messing up and getting ‘thrown out’ as he had put it. They didn’t know how long it would take for that to fade, if it ever fully did. They both still had issues from things that happened in their youth, Magnus’s darker than Alec but both still affected. 

It had been 2 months and honestly they were both pleasantly surprised Rafael hadn’t had any PTSD episodes or real fear moments beyond nightmares, which unfortunately did plague him every single night. However, it was a normal Wednesday when that all changed. 

Alec had fixed dinner since Magnus had been with the boys all day and had run out as soon as Alec had gotten home to help a client. Max was sitting on the counter near Alec and Rafael was sitting at the table quietly working on writing, since he had taught himself to read some words but had never learned to write any. 

“Wanna help me by setting the table, sweetheart?” Alec asked Rafael lightly. Rafael was always eager to please so of course he jumped up and nodded rapidly. Alec grinned and took out two large plates and two smaller ones. He set them on the counter and handed one to Rafael. The 5 year old knew how to do this at this point, observing his surroundings with the precision and accuracy that would have made Alec jealous if the reasoning hadn’t been so damn sad. Rafael set the plate at Magnus place before coming back over, looking at Alec expectantly. His eyes bright and pleading. Alec handed him another as he stopped Max just in time from picking up a knife. 

“Nope!” he chuckled, taking the knife and putting his forehead against Max’s and rubbing his nose against the toddlers. “Blueberries don’t touch knives, right?” he asked. Max giggled but shook his head, he knew the answer, the action however… he wasn’t quite as well versed. He handed Rafael another plate, ruffling his hair in affection. That was new. Rafael being able to take touch and actually smiling or leaning into it. Provided, it was only Alec, Magnus, and Max, but still, it was a win in their book. 

“I swear I will never get over this being my life.” 

Alec turned with a grin to his husband who stood in the doorway of the kitchen. Rafael looked up with a small smile,

“I’m helping Alec,” he said softly. 

Both men beamed, “I see that,” Magnus claimed, “You’re doing a great job.” Alec picked up the next plate to have it ready when Rafael got back, sending a wink to Magnus. Alec had been racked over the coals when he told the Clave they intended to adopt Rafael and he wouldn’t let anything stop them. He’d honestly feared they would find a way to take their sons and fire Alec and imprison Magnus. They had not, despite hearing that his family was unnatural and Magnus and Max were demons and Rafael would never amount to anything, Alec held his head high and refused to let them take his little boy’s chance at a happy life. 

That had been 5 weeks ago and although he came home and sobbed in Magnus’s arms for hours after the boys were asleep, the family was progressing nicely. Rafael put the final plate down and his shoulders were squarer than they had been as he turned back to Alec waiting further instruction. 

“Want to put the glasses out too?” Alec asked. Rafael nodded rapidly, he stepped forward excitedly before stepping back nervously. Magnus smiled sadly as he approached Alec, wrapping an arm around his back and kissing his cheek affectionately. Rafael looked up at Magnus as if he didn’t dare ask but when Magnus reached out and put his hand on Rafael’s cheek, Rafael leaned into it and melted. Alec turned slightly to hide the tears from Rafael and Max and quickly wiped his eye on his sleeve. “Here you go, baby,” Alec held out a glass to Rafael who took it carefully with both hands when Magnus took his hand from Rafael’s cheek. 

“This looks delicious, Darling,” Magnus said quietly, sending a ball of magic to Max who caught it with a squeal of joy. Rafael turned back to see what was happening and his shoe caught on the corner of the chair sending him forward. The glass was thrown and promptly broke with a loud shatter and Rafael hit the ground hard. 

“Rafe!” Alec said panicked. Rafael wasn’t in the kitchen anymore but back in Buenos Aires. He was back at the pot sellers cart, with a broken pot that he’d trip over at his feet. The cart owner had roared in fury and jerked him up by his hair.

“Siento, Siento! Fue un accidente!” he’d cried in rapid Spanish. Tears streamed down his face as the cart owner threw him down into the broken shards of ceramic, cutting open his feet, legs and hands. 

“Niño estúpido!” the cart owner yelled and slapped him. No one on the street said anything, it was clear Rafael was an orphan and therefore needed to be taught better. A swift but hard kick to the ribs had Rafael hollering out and attempting to crawl away. The owner simply grabbed his ankle and pulled him back, dragging him through the broken shards and cutting his forearms and legs more. He kicked him in the stomach again before turning back to grab a cane. 

Rafael scrambled desperately and was on his feet and running as fast as he could, tears streaming down his face. 

“Rafael!” a voice hit him and he crawled away frantically, right into the broken glass. “NO! Rafe!” there were hands under his arms, pulling him up and he screamed out and cried as he was sat up with hands holding his arms. 

“Siento! Por favor! No me golpe, no me golpe,” sobs burst out of the five year old and Magnus and Alec’s hearts broke more than the glass on the floor. 

“Rafael, baby, it’s Alec, please look at me, please,” Alec begged as his son continued to sob and plead in Spanish. He’d learned some words but didn’t fully know what ‘no me golpe’ meant, but it didn’t sound good. “Sweetheart, please, it’s me, it’s just me.” Alec said, soothingly as he placed both hands on Rafael’s cheeks. 

“Daddy what’s wrong?” Max said hesitantly. Magnus who had waved the glass away turned to Max whose eyes were filled with tears at seeing his brother so distraught.

“Rafael is scared, Blue,” Magnus said softy, “Come on how about you and me-“

“No! Don’t want to leave Rafa,” Max cried determinedly. Alec who was solely focused on getting Rafael’s breathing to calm down didn’t hear what was happening behind him. Rafael had stopped fighting but his eyes were shut tight and he was still whimpering, his hands and knees cut with pieces of glass. 

“Rafael, can you hear me?” Alec asked softly. Rafael whined but slowly nodded. “That’s really good, baby, can you open your eyes for me?” he requested. Rafael shook his head frantically this time. “Okay, that’s okay, then can you tell me what you’re feeling?” Alec needed to get his son out of the flashback he’d apparently been thrown into.

“Miedo,” Rafael whispered. Magnus’s face fell in sadness at his son’s words. “Dolor,” he said with a sob. Alec looked at Magnus who whispered ‘Pain’ and Alec flinched and stroked Rafael’s cheeks with his thumbs and Rafael hummed in confusion, “Touch?” he said softly. Alec sighed in relief, he was getting closer to being back.

“That’s right, it’s Alec,” Alec said gently. Rafael hummed and tilted his head slightly, “Magnus and Max are here too, you’re safe, you’re home, no one is ever going to hurt you again,” he promised, knowing he probably couldn’t keep but he’d be damned if he wasn’t going to try his hardest. 

“Rafa,” Max said kindly and reached out, touching Rafael’s bloody hand. Rafael jumped but then calmed and slowly his eyes opened. 

“Max,” he breathed with a sigh of relief. Max grinned and threw himself at Rafael. Normally they would tell him to take it easy but this time Rafael reached out in a way neither men had ever seen and Alec moved his hands to give Max more room and the two boys hugged each other tightly. “Safe. I’m safe,” he whispered more to himself but when he looked up at Alec and Magnus they were both tearfully smiling and nodding. Magnus reached out and healed the cuts on Rafael’s hands. “Graci,” he whispered. “I’m-I’m sorry about the glass,” his voice sounding like he wanted to cry again but Magnus waved his hand and a non-broken glass appeared in hand, 

“You mean this glass?” Magnus asked. Rafael blinked several times before smiling shyly and pulling away from Max. “No harm done,” Rafael looked at Alec who took his hands in his own and kissed the palms several times as a final healing. Rafael blushed and smiled at the kisses. “Can I heal your knees too?” Magnus asked. Rafael winced as if reminded of the injury and nodded. Magnus healed them as well and then Rafael looked at Alec, his mouth opening a moment before closing again. Alec smiled softly and kissed each knee too and Rafael blushed again but seemed pleased that the man knew what he wanted. 

“Okay, let’s eat, yeah?” Alec said and leaned forward without thinking and kissed Rafael’s forehead before doing the same to Max’s. Rafael seemed surprised but grinned and when Alec leaned down to accept Max’s poked out lips, Rafael leaned in and pecked Alec’s cheek quickly too. Alec’s eyes widened and he looked at Rafael shocked. The boy blushed and pressed his lips together nervously until Magnus cried out in false jealousy.

“I want one!” And teasingly pushed Alec out of the way and put his face between the boys to obliged with a giggle. The fathers met eyes as they stood and both were so full of love and joy, their eyes threatening tears. The Clave could say what they wanted. These children would grow up happy, love and with their worth based not on their skills of magic or demon hunting, but on the content of their character. And Alec and Magnus were looking forward to who their boys would become.

**Author's Note:**

> Also I may be working on a new Malec series so keep your eyes out for that in a while!


End file.
